Delft Residents Take Ownership of Their Homes

Happiness reined over the Delft Community Hall on Thursday, 10 November 2016, when 100 residents received their title deeds from the Provincial Minister of Human Settlements, Mr Bonginkosi Madikizela.

“You have been waiting far too long to receive your title deeds, it’s time you receive your legal document that says you are the owner of the house” said Minister Madikizela addressing residents.

“What makes me happy the most was seeing houses and title deeds being handed to elderly people” Madikizela added with reference to the 20 elderly title deed recipients.

The Minister said that R3.2 million was spent to meet the community half-way in paying their housing debt and that today was an affirmation that they owe government nothing. He added that government’s responsibility was to care for people who cannot take care of themselves.

“Title deeds are not about putting a roof over people’s heads, but for them to own a property”, Minster Madikizela emphasised. He also expressed his wish to ensure all the people of Delft received title deeds before the end of his term.

More than 20 of the title deeds were handed to pensioners aged between 60 and 84 years old, including Mr Alfred Theunissen and his wife Sara.

This title deeds handover forms part of the Department’s Enhanced Extended Discount Benefit Scheme (EEDBS) programme.  The EEDBS programme supports the transfer of pre-1994 housing stock to qualifying occupants.

The handover is also part of the Department’s strategic goals to prioritise the elderly with housing opportunities. Title deeds give people a sense of pride and joy that they are owners of the property they live in.

The Department has thus far handed over approximately 2000 title deeds to Delft community members.